When I think of “Chick Lit,” I don’t think of books by women but rather I think romance and fluff. Sure, this novel is as easy to read as tepid butter is when spread on hot toast in summer, but it’s not fluff. It’s about the every day, complicated, real life of family. It’s about how growing up – whether in an unusual or an average family – is rarely easy. It’s about relationships and emotions and all the ways we avoid as well as work through them. It’s also about compassion.

When the title charWhen I think of “Chick Lit,” I don’t think of books by women but rather I think romance and fluff. Sure, this novel is as easy to read as tepid butter is when spread on hot toast in summer, but it’s not fluff. It’s about the every day, complicated, real life of family. It’s about how growing up – whether in an unusual or an average family – is rarely easy. It’s about relationships and emotions and all the ways we avoid as well as work through them. It’s also about compassion.

When the title character is discussing how it would be hell to not help when she knows a problem she explains, “I’m not talking about the place filled with flames. I mean the hell the world is when cruelty doesn’t have a reason. When suffering is unrelenting and unrelieved by love.” That’s the compassion I’m speaking of – that natural, unforced compassion that embraces the broken with a simple word or gesture. It’s beautiful.

It’s also a little bit sad when the same character doesn’t have that compassion for herself, but as the story unfolds in all the horror of self admonishment, this deep and intense and haunting struggle suddenly becomes vital and real and… strangely beautiful.

This book was a gift for me in the reading… of connection and relationship. Of what can finally come of brokenness. Of what hardness and a lack of love can do. But even more, of what a simple act of kindness, a bit of compassion, an action born of love can do. It was frightening and healing in these revelations.

And in all of that, I find The Song Reader is anything but fluff or Chick Lit. It is instead a multifaceted and unfolding story of how to understand, and where hope resides, and in all its complexities, how rich… and how flexible love is....more

Cute story, but I didn't like the ending so much. It was an open ending and no real conclusion. I wish there had been another chapter or so to wind things up. Instead, I don't know what became of the characters. Strong storyline but weak ending.

This book would also make a good book group discussion, but it was stressful and emotionally draining to read. When it was over I was so relieved it was over, even though the end didnt really wrap up and explain everything as well as I would have liked, I was left wondering, what did that mean, are they going, are they staying? I'm confused.

I picked this up initially because I always have a song or two rambling through my head, and often spilling out over my lips. It can be anything from Immittet Angelus to the theme from Sesame Street. No wait. That's a bad example. There's actually a musical relationship between those two. How about anything from Stardust to When You Wish Upon a Star. No wait. This is harder than I thought. How about Greensleeves to Happy Trails to You (which is the song I want played at my funeral, by the way)?I picked this up initially because I always have a song or two rambling through my head, and often spilling out over my lips. It can be anything from Immittet Angelus to the theme from Sesame Street. No wait. That's a bad example. There's actually a musical relationship between those two. How about anything from Stardust to When You Wish Upon a Star. No wait. This is harder than I thought. How about Greensleeves to Happy Trails to You (which is the song I want played at my funeral, by the way)?

Anyhow, the music in my head (I dislike the term earworm) fascinates me and keeps me good company. It soothes my soul. I like it. So the idea of someone interpreting the playlist of my brain was really interesting. What does it say about me? What do the lyrics and tunes reveal?

The story didn't actually live up to the hype or hope I had for it, but it was a moderately good read. An interesting exploration into fragile minds, family function and dysfunction, telling secrets and an adolescent coming of age. I really enjoy "first books" of new authors and that added a special delight to me for this. I will be interested to see what else Lisa Tucker brings to the book world.

Now if someone could just tell me why I have There's No Place Like Home For the Holidays in my head, I'd be happy....more

Lisa Tucker's books always feel almost really good, but are always missing that one thing that makes them great. This is the third book of hers that I've read now, and they've all been solidly entertaining (and fairly quick reads) but are never all the memorable and I never feel compelled to recommend them to anyone else.

This book is much the same. I enjoyed the book, but there is definitely a sad undercurrent of what it's like for a young high school girl to grow up very fast and realize thaLisa Tucker's books always feel almost really good, but are always missing that one thing that makes them great. This is the third book of hers that I've read now, and they've all been solidly entertaining (and fairly quick reads) but are never all the memorable and I never feel compelled to recommend them to anyone else.

This book is much the same. I enjoyed the book, but there is definitely a sad undercurrent of what it's like for a young high school girl to grow up very fast and realize that what she thought she knew about her family (her dead mother, her father that abandoned her, and her older sister that's taken care of her) was only just the tip of the iceberg. I think everyone goes through a turning point when you realize your parents are just as flawed as you are, and that as well as you may think you know your parents, your siblings, or your friends -- there are always things they haven't shared with you completely.

I disagree with BCH's review(not shockingly) - I didn't feel like book was a 'hot mess' and I didn't feel like things were left unresolved and unclear. I'm actually surprised that BCH wasn't more interested in the mental illness aspect of the book, but maybe I can look at things like mental illness at a much higher level because I don't understand the details (and therefore, don't need them) and BCH sees through unresolved mental illness issues and therefore was left with more questions.

Either way, I'm glad I finally read this book and I'm sure I'll read another Lisa Tucker book in the future, but don't expect me to recommend them to any of you. ...more

I picked this book up because of the title - The Song Reader - and thought the description of song reading was an interesting and creative concept I hadn't really thought about before.

It was marketed as kind of a chick lit book, so I figured it'd be light and fluffy and an easy read about music and growing up, but it was actually quite darker and heavier than I expected. In a good way of course.

I'm always so inspired by characters, even if they are just fictional characters, who are put upon anI picked this book up because of the title - The Song Reader - and thought the description of song reading was an interesting and creative concept I hadn't really thought about before.

It was marketed as kind of a chick lit book, so I figured it'd be light and fluffy and an easy read about music and growing up, but it was actually quite darker and heavier than I expected. In a good way of course.

I'm always so inspired by characters, even if they are just fictional characters, who are put upon and put upon at such a young age but still manage to keep themselves together and rise up out of their difficult situations. Leeann is an inspiring character. Her naivety and innocence clouds much of her understanding of what is happening in her life, but she pushes on. She has some life changing coming of age experiences that could have sent her flying into the same reckless state that everyone else seemed to crumble to, but she never succumbs to that temptation.

For a character who endlessly feels weak and who was endlessly berated for not being tough enough growing up, she sure as hell came out on top as the one rock holding her family together.

As a side note, I'd like to read more into the theory of song reading, or where the inspiration for that came from. I think it's a very interesting concept....more

This book was OK.It tells the story of Mary Beth, Leann's big sister,who has a sort of a musical gift : the people who come to her tell her which songs are stuck in their heads and Mary Beth is able to give them some advice about their current problems.Leann is the narrator of this story. She's very admirative of her big sister who raised her since their mom died. She was my favourite character, I could see her coming out of age since the book follows these sisters for a few years. She was a norThis book was OK.It tells the story of Mary Beth, Leann's big sister,who has a sort of a musical gift : the people who come to her tell her which songs are stuck in their heads and Mary Beth is able to give them some advice about their current problems.Leann is the narrator of this story. She's very admirative of her big sister who raised her since their mom died. She was my favourite character, I could see her coming out of age since the book follows these sisters for a few years. She was a normal teenager while her sister was depicted as a perfect responsible adult, which often irritated me.If I knew before reading that the second half of the book would be about mental illness, I would have enjoyed it more. I wasn't expecting that story line, it felt strange....more

I enjoyed this book for the most part. It was a very sad story, but I found the song reading a unique plot device, and felt like I connected with the main character. I can't imagine how hard dealing with everything would be for a sixteen year old, but I felt like the author captured that fairly realistically.

I had minor issues with some of the other characters here and there, but my main issue was with the ending. It felt so abrupt, as if the author had a word limit and had to rush the last fe

I enjoyed this book for the most part. It was a very sad story, but I found the song reading a unique plot device, and felt like I connected with the main character. I can't imagine how hard dealing with everything would be for a sixteen year old, but I felt like the author captured that fairly realistically.

I had minor issues with some of the other characters here and there, but my main issue was with the ending. It felt so abrupt, as if the author had a word limit and had to rush the last few pages to finish within the allotted amount. I actually reread the last few pages thinking I had missed something.

All in all it was a good (and fast) read, but I would have liked to see her take the ending a little slower....more

This book was a hot mess. I mean, I literally finished it, put it down, and said aloud, "Wow - that was a hot mess!" It was actually fairly entertaining and I enjoyed it most of the way along, until I reached the end and realized that nothing really got resolved or made any sense. If you don't think you will care, then it's an easy read and you might enjoy it anyway.

The story of the song reader is a cleverly written tale about love, home, and family. It is narrated by not the song reader herself, but her sister, Leeann Norris. Through Leeann’s eyes the audience gets to experience what it is like for Leeann to live and grow up in a country town, and more importantly, what song reading really is and how it affects her family and those in the town.

The song reader, Mary Beth, is the most interesting character. She is described by all as beautiful, intelligen The story of the song reader is a cleverly written tale about love, home, and family. It is narrated by not the song reader herself, but her sister, Leeann Norris. Through Leeann’s eyes the audience gets to experience what it is like for Leeann to live and grow up in a country town, and more importantly, what song reading really is and how it affects her family and those in the town.

The song reader, Mary Beth, is the most interesting character. She is described by all as beautiful, intelligent, and one who has extremely high intuition and a gift to help people. As a reader, I felt like almost nothing bad could touch Mary Beth. She is a tough character who gets her jobs done no matter what is happening. But, for all of her praises, there is an air of deceit and arrogance about her.

The most admirable character is Leeann. She is practical, curious, and courageous. Even when her sister, who knows best for everyone, tells her no, she finds the courage to do what she thinks is right. She never once stopped trying to find the truth out about her family and it is so obvious how much she loves her sister, one can not help but grip the book and cheer her on.

One example of this is the issue of their father, who disappeared one day. Leeann sincerely wants to know where her father is and goes through a lot of snooping and letter writing to pinpoint him. All the while, her sister tries to deter her, telling her it is best to leave him alone, without giving any clear reason why. Another example of Leeann’s courage is with Mary Beth’s boyfriend, Ben, who breaks up with her on a night she thought he would propose. Again, Mary Beth tries to deceive Leeann, but Leeann goes against her sister’s wishes to find out for herself, and hopefully for Mary Beth’s happiness, what really happened. On top of this Leeann is going through high school, and of course gets herself in trouble at school, at parties, and with boys. The Song Reader is a surprising and pleasurable read. Reading the back description, I was under the impression that I was in for a not so interesting read. The book ended up being more about growing up and family secrets, rather than a song reader who messes up a reading one day. All of the characters are strong, realistic, and interesting, and therefore makes the book a heartbreaking and page turning story....more

Leeann Norris has an older sister with a gift. Her name is Mary Beth, and she is a "Song Reader". She translates people's deepest secrets and most sought after wishes by analyzing the songs that they cannot get out of their heads.

The two sisters get hit with drastic changes in their life when their mother dies in a car crash, and their father disappears. From this point on, Mary Beth gets thrown into becoming a parent to 14 year old Leeann.

Together the pair live a content and unconventional lifeLeeann Norris has an older sister with a gift. Her name is Mary Beth, and she is a "Song Reader". She translates people's deepest secrets and most sought after wishes by analyzing the songs that they cannot get out of their heads.

The two sisters get hit with drastic changes in their life when their mother dies in a car crash, and their father disappears. From this point on, Mary Beth gets thrown into becoming a parent to 14 year old Leeann.

Together the pair live a content and unconventional life full of unconditional love and tight bonds. Mary Beth's song reading business is booming, and Leeann is adjusted in a sufficient teenage life with two best friends and good grades.

When Mary Beth's "gift" opens up a can of worms, exposing a heartbreaking secret involving one of their neighbors, their life takes another traumatic turn. The outcome of this uncovered secret, throws Mary Beth into a severe depression, and forces Leeann now to become the adult while she struggles to comprehend her family's own released demons.

While I thought that THE SONG READER had a really good premise, I felt that there were many parts that were incomplete and tiresome. Paticularly the middle into the end. The storyline became muddled and the secondary characters grew to be boring pretty much pointless. It also didn't help that the ending was extremely confusing and abrupt. No bueno.

Lately I have found myself venturing away from the type of book that I would normally read and becoming a more well rounded literature and fiction reader. Most often I have been pleasantly surprised by my selections and The Song Reader by Lisa Tucker was definitely a pleasant surprise! When I read the synopsis on the back of the book I expected something completely different from what I got from this compelling first novel. I thought that I was reading a light hearted book about a woman who readLately I have found myself venturing away from the type of book that I would normally read and becoming a more well rounded literature and fiction reader. Most often I have been pleasantly surprised by my selections and The Song Reader by Lisa Tucker was definitely a pleasant surprise! When I read the synopsis on the back of the book I expected something completely different from what I got from this compelling first novel. I thought that I was reading a light hearted book about a woman who read peoples futures by interpreting the songs that were in their heads and while this plot point is what this novel was centered around it certainly was not what it was about. The Song Reader, told through the eyes of fourteen year old Leeann is about how two sisters cope with the breakdown of their family, how it effects them as people and how their love for one another gets them through some particularly difficult times.

When older sister Mary Beth's song reading takes off the entire town begins singing her praises and Mary Beth feels as though she has finally found her calling. However, when she reveals a long suppressed secret involving one of the towns most beloved citizens all of her former clients turn against her and her family. Mary Beth spirals into a deep depression leaving Leeanne to pick up the pieces of their life as well as uncover the deep routed secrets of her family that may have caused her sisters depression to run even deeper than first imagined.

Tucker reveals the secrets of this unconventional family in a way that makes it almost impossible to put this book down. My only gripe was that I wished the ending were fleshed out a bit more and the reader wasn't left with so many unanswered questions, however, this is a tiny flaw in an otherwise engrossing novel, 4 1/2 stars....more

I picked this up off the library shelf as I saw the title and as a music therapist, thought it might be interesting. I didn't expect a heavy book, but it was a little darker than I anticipated. This wouldn't be a problem if it was compelling or well-written, but it just dragged and became so mired down in the multiple emotional/psych issues the author was trying to shoehorn in. Its ambiguity about the dad's mental illness really didn't add anything to the plot as the author's interview seemed toI picked this up off the library shelf as I saw the title and as a music therapist, thought it might be interesting. I didn't expect a heavy book, but it was a little darker than I anticipated. This wouldn't be a problem if it was compelling or well-written, but it just dragged and became so mired down in the multiple emotional/psych issues the author was trying to shoehorn in. Its ambiguity about the dad's mental illness really didn't add anything to the plot as the author's interview seemed to imply she thought it would. It just seemed like she was too lazy to consult a mental health professional to get a fuller picture of someone with a specific mental illness. With all the focus on the psych issues, I was frustrated that they didn't really address them and the possibility that Mary Beth might have a genetic predisposition for psych issues due to the father's illness. I realize that part of the author's objective was to paint this imperfect family, but characters who don't really grow or develop in interesting or realistic ways just become boring & frustrating to read about. I ended up skimming the last quarter of the book.

I didn't particularly care for the ambiguity of the ending either; after all the dragging of most of the book, it seemed rushed & tacked-on with no satisfying motivation or thought behind it. I would not recommend this book....more

The Song Reader is a beautifully written book. It also has a sense of suspense to it that made me unable to put the book down until I finished each page. When I first saw the title, I fell in love with the idea of song reading, of being able to meticulously pick at the songs in people's heads to find out the reason they feel emotionally distraught and help them out of it. I enjoyed reading Mary Beth's revelations and how she did song reading, although I would like more details on this point, perThe Song Reader is a beautifully written book. It also has a sense of suspense to it that made me unable to put the book down until I finished each page. When I first saw the title, I fell in love with the idea of song reading, of being able to meticulously pick at the songs in people's heads to find out the reason they feel emotionally distraught and help them out of it. I enjoyed reading Mary Beth's revelations and how she did song reading, although I would like more details on this point, perhaps more prose dedicated to how song reading is done.

Initially I expected the Song Reader to be about a girl who performed a unique counseling with her song reading and helped people's lives. Although the book delved more into the relationships between the song reader Mary Beth and her sister from which the book is told, along with her father and her lover and the mysteries of the family, I felt satisfied with this new twist and even began to feel for Lee Ann and her family.

I felt confusion with Mary Beth's character, unsure whether I liked her or not. My analysis is that while counselors and therapists help others, they also must look inside themselves as well and be able to handle family squabbles in the same way as those in their counseling process. While I still don't fully understand Mary Beth, I am intrigued by her selfless and stubborn personality. This is a book that I couldn't stop thinking about even when I finished reading it. ...more

I really do love the idea of song reading. That the songs we listen tell something about us.And so this book is lovesong for music.But in reality this book is not about song reading. At first I thought it is a normal teenage book. First love, school and stuff like that. But then in the middle I realzized that it is a book that shows us that people always have a reson for doing things. And that we shouldn't judge them for it and we should forgive them and love them nevertheless. It has a greta moI really do love the idea of song reading. That the songs we listen tell something about us.And so this book is lovesong for music.But in reality this book is not about song reading. At first I thought it is a normal teenage book. First love, school and stuff like that. But then in the middle I realzized that it is a book that shows us that people always have a reson for doing things. And that we shouldn't judge them for it and we should forgive them and love them nevertheless. It has a greta moral without judging the reader and so I really love it.But still this book was a little bit confusing sometimes.Suddenly Mary-Beth Leeann's sister changes totally and it is kind of hard to understand all the stuff from the past.

But the characters are great. They are real person's doing bad things with good intentions. Like the mother of them or Mary-Beth, even her father is a nice guy and I felt so sorry for him.

Sometimes it got a bit boring and sometimes I didn't see the point in telling us some things. And I can't decide whether I like the way it is written or not. Sometimes it is hard to keep reading because of the way it is written, but on the other hand it makes it interesting and special....more

Leeann's dad left when she was nine years old. Nobody in the family knows where he is.When she is a teen, her mother dies in an automobile accident and Leeann is left in the care of her older sister Mary BethMary Beth works as a waitress in a diner, has a toddler that someone 'gave' her, and runs a little business that she calls song-reading. She believes the songs people keep hearing can lead to the cause of whatever problem they may be having, and she can help them solve the problem.

She keepsLeeann's dad left when she was nine years old. Nobody in the family knows where he is.When she is a teen, her mother dies in an automobile accident and Leeann is left in the care of her older sister Mary BethMary Beth works as a waitress in a diner, has a toddler that someone 'gave' her, and runs a little business that she calls song-reading. She believes the songs people keep hearing can lead to the cause of whatever problem they may be having, and she can help them solve the problem.

She keeps an elaborate chart on each client, listing the songs they listen too most often, a favorite line from a song, and theirproblem. She listens to the songs the client listed and forms some correlation between the songs and the problems.She devised this herself and it's working well and her client list grows ever longer.

Then one day, she uncovers a woman's secret and tells her she must face her family with it before she can put it behind her.This secret shatters a family and splits the community.

Meanwhile Leeann has been looking for her dad, not knowing that Mary Beth has been in touch with him since their mother's death a few years back. Then, while snooping, she finds his address.

The trouble brought on by the song-reading puts Mary Beth flat on her back in a deep depression and it falls upon Leeann to take care of thechild, the house and all that entails, and continue to go to school. As she gets more and more fatigued, she calls upon her dad to come andhelp her, but she gets him there by pretending to be Mary Beth. Poor Dad has his own problems.

I found this book very entertaining and I was drawn totally into the drama of dysfunctional families....more

First-time novelist Tyler stirs up an intoxicating cocktail composed of equal parts delicious name-dropping gossip, venomous Hollywood satire and steamy boy-meets-boy action. As staff copywriter at Sterling Studios, Bart Cain is in a prime position to observe the destruction that his homophobic boss, "Scary Shari" Draper, has set in motion in her winner-take-all battle to unseat gay head honcho Owen Lucas. Blackmailed into helping her, Bart enlists the aid of friends to foil her plan. While theFirst-time novelist Tyler stirs up an intoxicating cocktail composed of equal parts delicious name-dropping gossip, venomous Hollywood satire and steamy boy-meets-boy action. As staff copywriter at Sterling Studios, Bart Cain is in a prime position to observe the destruction that his homophobic boss, "Scary Shari" Draper, has set in motion in her winner-take-all battle to unseat gay head honcho Owen Lucas. Blackmailed into helping her, Bart enlists the aid of friends to foil her plan. While the intrigue at work makes Bart's life miserable, he finds temporary happiness in the bed of hunky gigolo/screenwriter Rodrigo Dominguez. In an effort to help Rod's writing career, Bart escorts him to a party filled with movers and shakers at the home of TV star Jim Fallon. Unfortunately for Bart, Fallon sets his sights on the lusty Latino and steals him away with promises of producing his script. Fallon is looking for a vehicle to resurrect the career he destroyed when a homemade s&m porn video revealed a different side of TV's favorite squeaky-clean sitcom dad. Written in cinematic, pop culture-inflected prose, this fast-paced name-dropper pulls the reader effortlessly, along like a spicy NC-17 cable miniseries. The surprise is Tyler's multidimensional characters, who, like counterparts in Queer as Folk and Sex in the City, live in the fast lane but are filled with enough doubts, concerns and foibles to endear them to readers....more

The most positive thing I can say about this novel is that it taught me how to be okay with NOT finishing every novel I start. It's been a few years since I picked up "The Song Reader", and all I can remember about what drew me to it is that it seemed like a breezy, afternoon escape-esque read (much like Meg Cabot's work) and I happened to want one at the time.

What struck me most about the book was just how much Mary Beth should have been named Mary Sue (a subconscious choice on Lisa Tucker's pThe most positive thing I can say about this novel is that it taught me how to be okay with NOT finishing every novel I start. It's been a few years since I picked up "The Song Reader", and all I can remember about what drew me to it is that it seemed like a breezy, afternoon escape-esque read (much like Meg Cabot's work) and I happened to want one at the time.

What struck me most about the book was just how much Mary Beth should have been named Mary Sue (a subconscious choice on Lisa Tucker's part?). Poor, tragic, perfect Mary Beth was so beautiful, so talented, so selfless, and so self-sabotaging. It was as if the author was living vicariously through Mary Beth via Leeann's voyeuristic sisterly worship/loathing; imagining the way someone might view her if she was her ideal(ized), dramatic self. My cognitive dissonance peaked at the halfway point: to endure one of the most annoying characters I have ever encountered and give in to my neurosis for finishing every novel, or to allow myself to give up and spend my time on a more worthwhile text. You already know what my choice was.

Some people have commented that they wish there had been more song reading (with lyrics, etc.) in the novel, and I agree that that would have been more interesting. However, the title is "The Song ReadER" to reflect that intent to focus on our dear Mary Sue--sorry, I mean Mary Beth--rather than the great work she supposedly does. I would be even more interested in a book called "The Song Reader's More Human Younger Sister", since it would be less about how perfect Mary Beth is and more about Leeann's more dynamic character. But as the great philosopher Jagger once said, "you can't always get what you want..." Anybody wanna do a reading on that? Sigh.

In short, if your tastes are anything like mine, this is a novel best left unopened. ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.Actually, the idea isn't a rip-off. The thought of someone having the capability to dig into your deepest thoughts through a song (and some information, of course) is intriguing.

First, the good parts. The characters are overall down-to-earth. You won't find a hard time relating to their life. Just because Mary Beth has a special talent doesn't mean she's going to be the perfect girl like some novels show.

The book also have some memorable moments. Like when Leeann found the basement full of paintActually, the idea isn't a rip-off. The thought of someone having the capability to dig into your deepest thoughts through a song (and some information, of course) is intriguing.

First, the good parts. The characters are overall down-to-earth. You won't find a hard time relating to their life. Just because Mary Beth has a special talent doesn't mean she's going to be the perfect girl like some novels show.

The book also have some memorable moments. Like when Leeann found the basement full of paintings--it's hard not to imagine the room yourself. The descriptions are also good. Not too hard to follow, but detailed enough.

The faults, however, are quite fatal. Personally, I can't seem to understand the scene at the laundry where Leeann left her dad with Mary Beth. I understand that scene, but I can't connect it with the further explanation that links to the rest of the story and how that affects the relationship between the father and his daughters. Maybe it's just me, maybe it's because I can't understand the translation. But this is my personal opinion.

The execution itself is a bit disappointing. Yes, you can understand very well the main ideas. But some parts of the novel are too focused. For example, the laundry scene which is described more than once. And some random cases Mary Beth has handled. These parts aren't needed and actually bore me.

Which brings me to the next flaw--many scenes are undermined. There are some dramatic parts like when Mary Beth was going through a psychological crisis and when Holly (was it the name? I have a bad memory) was hospitalized. Sadly, both weren't taken advantage of. Tucker could've described something that would leave us breathless or flipping to the next page frantically because we want to know what happens next so much. Yet, she chooses to focus on less impressive scenes, like the interview Leeann had with Mary Beth's doctor.

Overall, it's a nice enough piece to kill time, but if it's not on a discount or if you can borrow it from someone else, I suggest spending your money on other things....more

The song reader is about a teen named Leeann who is living with her sister,Mary Beth,their mom died and their father was no where to be found. Mary Beth is a song reader,a person who figure out peoples problems by going through the lyrics of the songs they can't stop listening to,one of her customers gave Mary Beth this baby boy named Tommy because no one wanted him. Mary Beth ended up dating one of her customers, Ben he took really good care of them. Leeann was searching for her dad and would nThe song reader is about a teen named Leeann who is living with her sister,Mary Beth,their mom died and their father was no where to be found. Mary Beth is a song reader,a person who figure out peoples problems by going through the lyrics of the songs they can't stop listening to,one of her customers gave Mary Beth this baby boy named Tommy because no one wanted him. Mary Beth ended up dating one of her customers, Ben he took really good care of them. Leeann was searching for her dad and would not give up. Mary Beth went through a lot, she had relationship problems but not only that she started having problems with her customers. Leeann ended up taking care of tommy and finding her dad while mary beth was going through a depression. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes drama. I gave this book 4 stars cause the book wasn't interesting until the middle of the book. my 3 favorite quotes are ”they were holding each other close now,pressed together like soaked fabric against skin” I like this because it was so cute how Mary Beth and Ben still loved each other after what they went through. ”mama's tired,he said” Tommy was being sweet and didn't make a big deal about Mary Beth storming out of the room. ”her voice was full of tears” Mary Beth seemed like she was getting better. This book is very entertaining because of the characters,I can relate to Leeann cause she had a bunch of problems and goes through a lot and I go through a lot too....more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.If I could give this book 3.5 stars I would. It was much different than I had anticipated in a good way. It was thought provoking and it made you make a lot of the conclusions yourself, specifically what was really wrong with LeAnn's parents before her mom died, what is really wrong with her sister and how exactly her life will change and what she will do. I part I did not enjoy was the ending. It was too abrupt and on a personal note, I wanted LeAnn to do something for herself rather than folloIf I could give this book 3.5 stars I would. It was much different than I had anticipated in a good way. It was thought provoking and it made you make a lot of the conclusions yourself, specifically what was really wrong with LeAnn's parents before her mom died, what is really wrong with her sister and how exactly her life will change and what she will do. I part I did not enjoy was the ending. It was too abrupt and on a personal note, I wanted LeAnn to do something for herself rather than follow her sister everywhere she goes. she has her own life, her owns dreams so why should she have to sacrifice those dreams and life for her sister.

I did like how even though Mary Beth was the focus as the Song Reader, Leann was the real star of the novel because everything was seen through her eyes from when she was 2 until she was 16. The author conveyed those not so rare emotions of a teenager when everything seems like the end of the world and your temper flares up you can't see what's right in front of you.

Overall, it was a good book, not one of my favorites that i will read again but it kept my attention....more

Lisa Tucker is the author of six novels: The Winters in Bloom, coming this September; The Song Reader, Shout Down the Moon, Once Upon a Day, The Cure for Modern Life, and The Promised World.

Her books have been published in twelve countries and selected for Borders Original Voices, Book of the Month Club, the Literary Guild, Doubleday Book Club, People magazine Critic’s Choice, Redbook Book Club, ALisa Tucker is the author of six novels: The Winters in Bloom, coming this September; The Song Reader, Shout Down the Moon, Once Upon a Day, The Cure for Modern Life, and The Promised World.

Her books have been published in twelve countries and selected for Borders Original Voices, Book of the Month Club, the Literary Guild, Doubleday Book Club, People magazine Critic’s Choice, Redbook Book Club, Amazon Book of the Year, Barnes & Noble Reading Group program, Target “Breakout” Books, Books A Million Fiction Club, the American Library Association Popular Paperbacks, the Indie Next list and the Book Sense Reading Group Suggestions.

She grew up in Missouri, and has lived in Philadelphia and Santa Fe, NM. She has graduate degrees in both English and math. She has taught creative writing at the Taos Writers' Conference and UCLA.

She's also a mom who says "raising my son has been the best part of my life"....more